


I'll grab my light, and go with you

by imnicklendeborg



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Hogwarts Eighth Year, Light Angst, Luna is a sweetheart, Post-War, Pre-Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, References to Depression
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-29
Updated: 2019-01-29
Packaged: 2019-10-18 14:22:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,423
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17582528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imnicklendeborg/pseuds/imnicklendeborg
Summary: Today is the day that everything will start to change. As the students are gathering in the Great Hall for dinner, Draco sits down at his usual spot, as far away from everyone else as possible. But this time, someone actually chooses to sit by him. As soon as Draco begins eating the tiny amount of food he can choke down, he hears an airy voice above him say “Hello Draco, may I sit with you?”





	I'll grab my light, and go with you

**Author's Note:**

> Eventual Draco/Harry is mildly hinted at, but this is basically just a character study of Draco with a sprinkle of Luna & Draco's friendship. Title from My Blood by Twenty One Pilots because I love that song!

Draco tries to steady his breathing as he prepares to go through the wall to reach Platform 9 ¾. He wants to think that he does not know why he is going back to Hogwarts at all, but deep down, he knows the reasons. He wants to restore the Malfoy name, since the war left it in shambles. He wants to be able to make something of his life instead of hide himself away in the Manor for eternity. He also might want to see a certain Boy Who Lived, but he would never admit that in a million years. Draco has not seen Harry Potter since he spoke at his trial, and he is simultaneously desperate to thank him and absolutely dreading the moment. 

Draco does not know what this “eighth year” at Hogwarts will be like. He is the only Slytherin returning. Everyone else either died in the war, got locked up in Azkaban, or fled the country with their wealthy families. He expects to be cursed, hexed, and ostracized upon his return to the battleground where his family chose the losing side. 

Summoning what little strength he has left, he enters Platform 9 ¾. Only a few people notice him at first, and they shoot him death glares as he walks by. He manages to get on the train without attracting too much attention. He walks through the aisle searching for an empty cabin. He knows that no one will want to sit with “Death Eater scum” like him. Finally, he finds a cabin with no one in it and tries to get settled in, despite the feeling of dread threatening to consume him at any moment. He is left relatively unbothered, save for a couple of Hufflepuffs that walk into his cabin and scowl at him before promptly turning around. The closer they get to Hogwarts, the more nervous Draco begins to feel. His experience so far has only served to confirm his suspicions as to how he will be treated. 

When they arrive and exit the train, the aura of anticipation that usually surrounds the new students is missing. Everyone seems to be apprehensive about how it will feel to step back onto the grounds that hold so much sorrow and tragedy. Draco tries to navigate his way to the back of the group of students in order to attract the least attention. 

When they enter Hogwarts, they are greeted by Headmistress McGonagall. She gives a rousing speech about moving forward, and she places a specific emphasis on inter-house unity between the eighth-years, who will be sharing a common room. With only one Slytherin returning, the members of the other three houses did not try to resist this development too much. After her speech, everyone made their way to the Great Hall for the welcome feast. 

The tables were set up differently from their normal way- probably another strategy to promote inter-house unity. Draco makes his way to the end of one of the tables and hopes that no one will bother him if he minds his own business. Draco hasn’t had much of an appetite since the war, so he barely touches any of the freshly-prepared food. Thankfully, it does seem like his strategy to keep to himself is working. Again, he was on the receiving end of a few glares, but Draco honestly thinks he deserves much worse. He doesn’t dare look up to meet anyone’s eyes very often, but it is hard to resist the pull he feels towards the bright green eyes on the opposite side of the Great Hall. At one point their eyes meet, and shockingly, Potter gives him a small smile. Draco is too stunned to do anything other than quickly divert his gaze back to the food he was not eating. 

After the feast, all of the students make their way to the dorms to get settled in for the night. McGonagall had already informed Draco that he would be the only student without a roommate in order to maintain his safety. He knew that this would only enhance his ever-present loneliness, but it was better than getting hexed in his sleep. 

\\\~~~~~\\\

After a few days of staying out of everybody’s way, head always bent down in shame, Draco becomes consumed by the profound sense of loneliness that he began to feel at the Manor over the summer. He feels lost, drowning in his own sorrow, but his self-hatred causes him to believe he deserves this. 

However, today is the day that everything will start to change. As the students are gathering in the Great Hall for dinner, Draco sits down at his usual spot, as far away from everyone else as possible. But this time, someone actually chooses to sit by him. As soon as Draco begins eating the tiny amount of food he can choke down, he hears an airy voice above him say “Hello Draco, may I sit with you?”.

Draco turns towards the source of the voice and finds himself looking at Luna Lovegood’s hopeful face. Despite the warnings that his brain is screaming at him, he feels himself nodding almost against his will. For Draco, the awkward silence is intense, but sparing a glance at Luna shows him that she seems content to sit in silence. Eventually, he becomes more accustomed to sitting in silence and he starts to inch towards actually feeling comfortable. Neither of them speak that night, but her presence is more of a comfort to Draco than he would prefer to admit.

That night, Draco has a hard time falling asleep because he keeps replaying the events of the day in his head. He does not know why Luna would pay him such a kindness, but despite everything his brain was trying to tell him, she seemed genuine. However, he still feels the need to discover what had prompted her to sit by him in the first place. 

\\\~~~~~\\\

The next morning, at breakfast, Luna asks to join him again. They sit in silence again. Partly because neither of them knows what to say, and partly because it is too early to make conversation. However, just like the previous night, Luna looks perfectly content to sit in silence. 

Throughout all of his lessons that day, Draco could not stop his thoughts from drifting towards the unusual blonde. The thing that most confused him is why someone who was locked up in his family’s cellar during the war would show him anything but contempt. He decides that he needs to address this at dinner tonight if she decides to join him again, which he has a sneaking suspicion that she will. 

As he expected, Luna’s airy voice greets him at dinner that night. After more time spent in silence, he decides to just get it over with.

“Luna, why are you being kind to me? I’ve certainly never done anything to deserve your company, and I just don’t understand” Draco blurts out. 

“Oh, Draco. The fact that you are saying this proves that you do deserve it. I noticed how you’ve changed since we’ve been back at Hogwarts. You’re so reserved and unlike your old self, it makes my heart hurt for you. Everyone suffered during the war, no matter which side you were on- although I believe you didn’t have much choice in that matter. You deserve to put the war behind you and find happiness, just like everybody else. Plus, you’ve been surrounded by flufflelumps ever since we returned, so I knew you needed a friend” Luna responds in a tone that suggests this is an everyday conversation. 

Draco (choosing to ignore that last comment) simply gapes at her. After a few seconds of her looking at him in amusement, he decides he probably should close his mouth to avoid looking like a fish. After a few seconds of composing himself, he finally responds to her.

“Clearly, I don’t know what to say, but ‘thank you’ doesn’t seem sufficient. I’m not sure if I truly believe that I deserve all of that, but perhaps I can start working towards that.”

“I’m glad to hear that. I know it won’t be an easy battle, but I’ll keep reminding you that you deserve happiness until you believe it yourself.”

Again, Draco is at a loss for words so he simply gives her a smile that he hopes conveys all of his appreciation. For the first time since stepping on the train, Draco believes that coming back to Hogwarts is the best decision he’s ever made.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this is pretty short. Maybe eventually I'll add a chapter with more Draco & Luna and Draco actually talking to Harry :)


End file.
